


Emoticons

by KazueEmiko



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Comedy, Emoticons, F/F, Fluff, umi helping the poor girl out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-08-10 17:17:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20139112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KazueEmiko/pseuds/KazueEmiko
Summary: Maki never really liked showing public affections and her true emotions. It was just too embarrassing! However, one unfortunate day, she was cursed with an ability that might ruin it all...





	Emoticons

**Author's Note:**

> Emoticons are fun to find and use! (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

It appears that Nishikino Maki might have to rethink twice about how she hides her true feelings to the world.

Disgust, hatred, sorrow, excitement, lust… It’s all there. It’s all there with a single emoticon popped over her head in its full glory. At first, she thought she was hallucinating. Then, she thought she was lucidly dreaming. Both were eventually proven to be false hypotheses.

“ 눈_눈 “

The disgruntled young girl stared at the mirror. There it is… That dark, bold emoticon literally expressing her irritation. Although she should be thankful that the students were on a short holiday break, the pianist and Sonoda Umi had planned ahead of time for a sleepover at Umi’s residence. Oh, she is desperately praying that no one else but her could see it… Their entire evening would go into ruins!

“ Σ(゜゜) “

A ring at the door startled the female back into reality, the text image over her head flashed into what was currently shown. Maki backed away from the sink and cracked open the bathroom’s door. Head peeked out, the casually dressed girl glanced down from the second floor.

One of her two parents came out to greet the visitor. Upon hearing the voice, her violet eyes widen. Oh no… It was Umi! A quick glimpse at her silver watch screamed that the archer has arrived 30 minutes earlier than the stated time.

“Early as always…” she murmured. “I sometimes wish she would be a little late…”

“ Ｏ(≧▽≦)Ｏ “

Her emoticon flashed a different response though. When the first-year realized that upon returning to the mirror, she almost wanted to punch the fragile surface. Face steaming, Maki raised both of her hands in hopes of shooing the emoticon away.

“ (ﾉ･д･)ﾉ “

“…”

It’s no use. It’s only going to get worse. When Maki lowered her hands and let out a big exhale, the emoticon finally vanished from her sight. Seeing that happen, the girl did her best to stomp on the relieved emotional response…

“ (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑ “

Only for it to manifest into a physical representation of her actual feelings: victorious.

She gave up. This entire predicament is spiraling out of control, and there doesn’t seem to be a way to make it stop. Nishikino slapped the palm of her hand against her forehead loudly. How in the world did this happen to her, and why?

“Maki…? Maki, are you okay in there?”

That voice could only belong to one of three people in the house. So far, her father is out for work at his hospital, and her mother doesn’t sound this young. Which left the only option to choose from…

“I-I’m fine!”

“ (♥ω♥ ) ~♪ “

Well, it wasn’t wrong that Maki wanted to express her desire to be with Umi romantically.. but now wasn’t the time! This emoticon is being too blunt! Cheeks burning, the youngest of the two immediately placed both hands on top of her head. Turning towards the door, she knew that if she lingered in the bathroom any longer than necessary, it would really concern the archer. Might as well come out. Besides, there could be a possibility that Sonoda won’t be able to see it at all. (It would make all of that hassle from earlier pointless…)

She deeply inhaled, then exhaled. The door already cracked open, Maki used her bare foot to widen the gap.

“ (●♡∀♡) “

Sonoda Umi. Tall, fit, beautiful like the sea, and righteous, she’s perfect. When it comes to her casual outfits, the blue-haired female knew how to pick out clothes. Simply put it in Maki’s heart, it screams that this person is the perfect person in her life. No one else could ever possibly be as good as the diligent and intelligent student.

Standing in front of the first-year, Umi’s expression was riddled with worry.

“Maki, what took you so long? Your mother told me you were in the bathroom for an hour– Er…”

There’s that abrupt cut in the sentence. Maki felt her shoulders stiffen as she slightly pressed harder on her head with both hands. A weak smile managed to scrawl on her face. Oh gosh, did Umi see that embarrassing emoticon over her head?

“Is… Is something the matter, Umi?”

“…” The second-year rubbed her eyes. She looked at Maki. Then, she diverted her gaze to the side for a brief moment until returning. A faint blush crept on the older female’s cheeks as she mumbled, “…what’s with that… um… that emoticon over your head?”

“ (‘∀’●)♡ “

Nishikino was speechless. She couldn’t find any words to express just how embarrassed she was. Well, it’s not like the student needed to. This future doctor didn’t need to look at the mirror again to know what was unfolding.

“ (*´_ゝ｀) “

The emoticon was being way too accurate in its portrayal. Heck, maybe Maki doesn’t need to vocalize her feelings anymore. Hiding it is useless, and denying it is contradictory to her actual hidden emotions. Both of her hands slid off from her head and hung it in defeat.

“I… I don’t know, Umi. Honestly, I want to know why it’s there too.”

A faint hum came from the other’s direction. Umi cupped her chin, observing the young girl’s action as the emoticon remained floating on her head. She has questions of her own in regard to this peculiar event. Compared to the red as beet victim, she decided to not ponder too hard about it. What good will it do if their sleepover gets delayed, or worse, canceled over this silly matter? It was just a text image that seems to be expressing Maki’s emotional state. Frankly, Umi didn’t mind it one bit. (Though she was taken aback at first.)

Without thinking twice about her girlfriend’s preparedness, Sonoda reached out and grabbed ahold of the pianist’s hand.

Between the hands of a trained warrior who will one day succeed her family’s business and an upcoming medical staff for her father’s hospital, Umi’s hand were much rougher than Maki’s. However, they possess the sincerity of a gentleman that took ahold of an alluring princess’s. This caused the other student to raise her head and stare directly at the second-year. She wasn’t sure what initiated this kind of response from the archer. The two rarely held hands due to the older student’s easily flustered state and Maki’s lack of confidence.

The pair of brown eyes looked as though they were smiling at her. Umi’s fingers slowly curled inward, trapping Maki’s hand in its grasp. Then, she gave it a squeeze.

“ (*´ω｀*) “

At that exact moment, Maki’s heart fluttered from the comforting move. Sonoda almost laughed at the sight as she eased the girl out of the bathroom.

“Let’s go, Maki. We shouldn’t wait till it gets awfully dark outside. Oh, and also, don’t worry about getting your clothes. I think there are some spare ones you’ve accidentally left in my room the last time we slept over… Or you could always borrow mine.”

There was some hesitation in the pianist. Some resistance was felt in the other student’s hold as the first-year tried to stay rooted in her spot outside of the bathroom. Shaking her head, Maki bit the bottom of her lip.

“I don’t want to go outside like this. Heck, I don’t want my mom to see me like this!”

“There’s nothing wrong with it.”

“ ヽ(ﾟДﾟ)ﾉ “

“I’m going to be the strange one, you know! I don’t want people to think that μ’s idol, Nishikino Maki, is a freak.”

Umi briefly looked up to think. “Hm… I suppose that would be a problem…” Another gentle squeeze. “Let’s not jump to conclusion so fast. If your mother says something about it, we’ll think of a solution to this problem.”

“ (゜-゜) “

“If you say so…”

No use in arguing against the blue-haired. She is correct: There’s no point in panicking any further until they know for sure if it’s a huge issue. If they can get through her mom… just her mom, then that might just be enough to calm the girl’s nerve. (Even though the sample size is terrifyingly tiny.)

Another gentle tug motioned the young student to follow after Umi. Despite this nerve-wracking situation for Maki, the transition from up to downstairs played out like a prince to his princess. Sonoda paced alongside the doctor’s child until they reached the front entrance. A quick call out to Maki’s mother that they’re leaving is all it took to make confirmation.

“ (◎_◎;) “

So far… It went smoothly. Maybe a little too smoothly considering the crisis Maki is in. Her mother didn’t suspect nor question a single thing about the emoticon that slightly trembled over her head. Umi even tested it further by using her other hand to rub the youngster’s head. Though this would’ve annoyed the first-year, the archer had hoped to divert the attention towards the main area. Still nothing.

Further experiments were conducted once they were out of the house. Now out in the public, pedestrians and civilians came into view once they took a dozen steps from Maki’s expensive house.

Umi had to constantly calm her girlfriend, holding hands the entire way through and giving light squeezes here and there. This barely did anything for Nishikino as her entire figure was as stiff as a board. Just a single glance from a stranger is close enough to make the student hide behind a bush in pure embarrassment. Sonoda didn’t let her off that easily.

Once the number of witnesses increased, and so did the number of successes in the trials, the tension that hung in the atmosphere for the poor victim finally eroded away.

“ (•́⌄•́๑)૭✧ “

“I can’t believe it… You were right, Umi. I guess no one else other than you could see it.”

Umi shifted her attention over to Maki. A small smile ran across her lips as she finally leaned forward to plant a soft smooch on the female’s lips. She was about to retract when Maki’s other hand reached out to the back of the blue-hair’s head. The girl pulled the other back in for another kiss. This time, it was long enough for the two to taste each other’s lips.

When they pared, the two fixated their gaze on each other, just inches away from each other’s face.

“ （*’∀’人）♥ “

Catching sight of the new emoticon caused Umi to start chuckling, eyes briefly closed.

“I guess you really liked that, Maki.”

“S-Shut up.”

“I didn’t think you would be so bold.”

“I said shut up!”

“ ヾ（〃＾∇＾）ﾉ♪ “

Another amused chuckle came out of the older girl’s lips at the blunt contradiction. Then, they continued to hold hands and resumed walking towards Umi’s home. On the way there, the second-year said something quite interesting.

“You know… I kind of wish you would be more honest with your feelings.”

“I… I am being honest!”

“ (///Σ///) “

Umi eyed at the text image before shifting her gaze back over at Maki.

“Sure… I think it would actually be good if you had that emoticon problem for a bit longer. At least I could tell whether you’re honest with me or not. Besides… I kind of wonder what other kinds of emoticons would pop up from you?”

“…please don’t think of me as a toy.”

“ (´,,•ω•,,) “


End file.
